Mr. David Adamsasked the Secretary for Mines (1) whether he is aware that the management of Craghead Colliery Company, Durham, has instituted safety-first classes of one hour daily in the colliery yard for boys of 14 and 15 years of age employed at the pit-head who later will work below ground; that working models of the machinery used at the colliery and made to scale are provided for the colliery official who takes the classes; that no deductions of pay are made for the loss of the hours in class; and whether he will encourage the extension of this scheme;
(2) whether, in view of the need of reducing the heavy toll of accidents to boys in the coal mines of the country and of the scarcity of juvenile labour offering for employment in certain mining areas, he will issue a circular to the colliery owners of the country calling favourable attention to the Craghead scheme for safety-first classes?
§ Captain CrookshankI have not, as yet, received a report on these particular classes, though I will get one immediately. I am, however, aware that similar classes are held at some other collieries and accounts of these have been published in3324W the Annual Reports of my Department and of His Majesty's Inspectors, with a strong recommendation in their favour. I shall certainly continue to give every encouragement and help to classes of this kind, and as soon as I have obtained the necessary details in the particular case I shall be glad to consider the hon. Member's suggestion for a circular letter.